Requiem for a dream
by Mommy Silver
Summary: Lost in Spain, Ashley and Leon have to survive five lost chapters pasted together... thanks to plotbunnies showing up in the wrong order and me posting the wrong order
1. Lost out in Spain

**Title**: The bitterness of life can taste quite sweet

**Subtitle**: Lost out in Spain

**Chapter**: 1

**Summary**: Leon is a big strong man, no nonsense guy. He is an expert in everything. Everything? Well… every man has this weakness for crying women… even Leon.

**Pairing**: LeonxAshley

**Rating**: R+++ just to be safe

**Warnings**: camouflaged concealed smuttieness up ahead? That's what the R+++ is for.

**A/N**: My current best knowledge is of what Ms. :devsloughingtyger: informed me about. Thank yous for beta-reading and informing me properly about RE4!  
Yet this plotbunny keeps staring at me and knowing plotbunnies… resistance is futile. Ms. Cookiecat ? The plotbunny hunt shirt worked! *dances embarrassing little victory dance*

**A/N2**: Evil me brings Ashley and Leon together! Happy sappy fluffyness up ahead! Camouflaged smuttieness and… okay… I'll behave. .

A/N3: http : // www . youtube . com / watch?v = LHXyPTmliNs thank you Ms. Cookiecat: for this inspiration!

---

It had gone wrong.

Terribly wrong.

Leon wasn't the type of guy to fail.

Yet he had.

---

Ada died that night.

That one part of his past he couldn't let go.

Saddler had ordered Ganado to kill her and cornered Leon and Ashley a while later.

The island had exploded, with them on it, and believe it or not, that sissy little shrieking girl had managed to bring him to dry land.

That dry land had been… Spain.

---

He had woken up, dizzy and with the mother of all headaches from the blast, aching wounds tormented by the salt of the Atlantic and bruises all over.

Ashley sat before him, on her knees, shakily with her arms raised. The distinct plopping sound became louder and louder, as his brain managed to register the source of the sound.

Combined with his eyesight returning, he noticed what it was.

She was firing a gun.

He managed to get up, wobbly at first, steadying himself, as he grabbed the gun and blasted their foes to oblivion. Just a few, but enough to have killed them.

'Did you miss?' Afraid, she gazed up at him.

'DID YOU MISS!?' he yelled at her, shaking her vigorously by the shoulders.

'N-no… I did what you did…' she whispered.

'Darn girl, that means you missed.' Angrily he grabbed her hand. 'Where the heck are we on this god forsaken continent?!'

'S-Spain?'

He rolled his eyes, and shook his head for that matter, 'Great! Just what I needed.' He ran up the beach, dragging Ashley along to whatever place they would end up.

---

Oh, how terrible he thought it was. Again, he was slowed down by this bratty, snobby President's daughter, ambushed by Ganado. For a minute, he vented his anger on a tree, only to come to the conclusion that his knuckles were damaged and bleeding.

He had checked his cell phone, only to realize that it didn't survive the plunge into the salt water. Stripped away from any connections with the normal sane world and his CO, he felt alone. Alone he would survive, but with this girl, things would become a lot more difficult. She nearly got him killed, for her stupid idiotic screams distracted him. Couldn't she even try defending herself?

Than some idiotic realization hit him hard.

How the heck had they hit dry land? It couldn't be?

'Did you…'

Ashley looked up from where she sat. She was scared.

'Did you bring me to dry land?' It sounded as if he didn't believe that he actually was on dry land, that she had performed such an action.

With big eyes, she gave a small nod, 'Don't get angry with me for that… you were drowning and… I don't want you to get hurt.' Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she hid her head in hands. 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…'

'Sorry for what?' Women. Crazy beings who cried over nothing.

'That you nearly died and that I couldn't do anything… I'm sorry that I'm such a weakling and can't help you. I'm sorry.'

'Well then. We know that you're sorry. Pull yourself together, get up and get a move on.'

The least she had hoped for was an arm around her shoulders, a comforting word or even a single smile.

Leon hadn't smiled at all.

He hadn't placed an arm around her shoulder or said that she had done a good job.

He just moved throughout the landscape without saying one word, leaving Ashley alone with all sorts of thoughts and troubles. When a lone forgotten Ganado appeared and was blasted away by Leon, she didn't flinch. Who the hell cared for her, in this landscape? Leon was doing his job, without even a friendly word to her.

---

After some time, he noticed the awkward silence between them. She didn't speak a word, and as he had blasted that Ganado away, he hadn't even heard a single pipsqueak from her. There she stood, behind him, one arm around her back, holding her other elbow. Her gaze focused on her boots.

'Ashley?'

'Yes, Leon?' she replied without looking up to meet his gaze.

'…'

Tired, she did what she had done before the explosion on the island: preparing food and cleaning afterwards. It was the first basic principle he had taught her. Get your food, cook it or leave it and then clean up.

He reached out to touch her wrist, but she retracted all too soon. Indifferent eyes stared at his.

'Ashley… I…' Emotions! That's what girls are all about! Emotions! Say that you're sorry and that you'll treat her nicely again you bonehead! 'You did a good job.' bonehead. 

'…Oh…' She looked away, this pained look of hers that somehow managed to shatter whatever heart he had left.

How the hell were they going to spend the night? Leon didn't know the answer to that. Merchant wasn't here at this time to supply him with whatever he needed. There were no abandoned homes with blankets and canned food. There was nothing here out in this open field. Even that fire should have been forbidden, but they needed to warm up.

Okay… 

Ashley needed to warm up.

Or was that a weak excuse to get a blanket?

---

The next morning he was up early. Not to mention Ashley was up early too. Getting used to how he lived, she adapted to it. It was her only way of surviving.

He knew they were being followed. An occasional Ganado appeared from out of nowhere, only to be skillfully killed by Leon. Somehow these creatures had some sort of a mind and were able to think and do things.

His right hand burned; he shouldn't have punched that tree so vigorously. Besides, it was a good excuse to stop walking and find a safe spot, just for the night. He admitted that he was exhausted and feeling pretty warm. Which should have been completely ridiculous, because Ashley was shivering from cold. Was she ill?

Raising a not so delicate brow – no more epilating brows since she was kidnapped – she noticed Leon staring at her. Pale and staring wearily out of his eyes.

Afraid of raising another wave of anger, she stood there, waiting for him to decide what to do. Was he bitten the last time he battled a Ganado? Did the virus take him? Or was she losing her mind?

With a small shriek she jumped backwards as he suddenly crashed face forward into the ground. For a minute, she remained standing still, not knowing what to do. Than she proceeded forward and kneeled at his side.

Gently she touched his neck, searching for a pulse as he had done so many times with others. There was a pulse and radiating skin. Checking his forehead, she found out that he didn't have a fever.

What to do? What to do? What to do? Leon was the one handling the knifes, guns and whatever he could use as a weapon! The best she could do was scream at the top of her lungs: "Leon, help me!" and Leon would come to her rescue.

Now, if something were to happen, he would be an easy target and she an easier one.

Lifting just one of his arms, she found out that the guy was actually heavier than when being in the water. If she had trouble lifting just one arm, his weight would be bone crushing. Well, he saved her all this time, now apparently, it was her task to save him…

---

God, she hated exhaustion.

God, she hated exhausted men even more.

Okay, Ganado held a proud first place. If one could call it proud.

How she did it, she didn't know, but she was glad Leon was aware enough to cooperate before he slumped on the hard soil. A troubled moan left his throat as soon as his head collided with the soil, but he didn't seem to register, as he slipped back into this exhausted sleep.

He needed water, that was even more important than food, she remembered. But where to find water, and even more importantly, how to transport water to him?

Checking her large boots, she wondered… her boots were big, and held no zippers or laces. It would be disgusting, but could it work?

Equipped with one of his precious guns, she left – leaving the other gun in his right hand. Hopefully, if he was attacked, he could defend himself.

Water was easy to find. A small stream supplied enough water to fill her boots. Now came the biggest question: how to walk back? Well… just walk back? He couldn't possibly drink water stinking like her feet. Well, her boots smelled like her feet. Leon would have to put up with it.

That same small stream provided fish. Her boots would never be the same again, nor would she. Walking on nothing but bare feet back to the cave, she found out that Leon was already wide awake, staring at her with an intense look full of questions and emotions.

---

'Ehm… you crashed? Like in the middle of a road?'

'That doesn't explain your leave taking.'

'That doesn't explain you crashing in the middle of the road.'

Was he starting this argument with her again? First insulting and being a disgusting son of a bitch, before he realized that she helped him out – again. Was he this ungrateful?

He scratched the back of his head. 'Ehm… thank you.'

'I got you some water… and fish…' That's when he noticed that she was drenched. That it rained outside the small cave. That she was barefoot. And shivering.

He stripped off his shirt. 'Put this on or you might catch a cold.' Turning away from her, he heard the rustling of clothes. The sweater, as he noticed a little later, hung loosely around her small frame.

Then he took off his shoes and handed them to her. 'Smelly, but… it might warm your feet.'

That's when he noticed she left little trails of blood. 'Did someone hurt you?'

'It was a steep climb.' He gestured for her to sit across from him, and began inspecting the soles of her feet, occasionally pulling something out of the skin.

Quite obvious of course. He would have done the same for any other soldier. Besides, she couldn't walk on sore feet, thus slowing him more down then before.

Right?

Yes! 

Okay… perhaps not… not any other soldier would have gotten him water in her boots, or brought him fish on bare feet. Besides, she relaxed a little. That was good. He couldn't run far with a target that was too consumed by emotions.

'Look, Ashley…' He didn't know how to continue. 'That stream has to end somewhere, so my best guess is that there's a pool nearby. If I stand watch, you can get yourself cleaned up. I promise not to look.'

'Oh…'

---

Luis had been right. She had these big awful ears like Dumbo, but quite some ballistics. Even a little further away from him, he could still see the outline of her breasts.

Ah, man! Pull yourself together! He shook his head to get the filthy images out. Okay, he was a man. Men have needs. Women too, for that matter. So if women could contain their needs, he certainly could too.

He hoped.

Screwing the President's daughter on the job wasn't the brightest of ideas that had entered his mind.

Okay, she was this stupid silly girl, screaming all the time whenever she noticed a Ganado or was taken prisoner by some idiot. It was his job to retrieve her. Yet it wasn't his job to get all angry over the fact that someone took her away from him. That anger only left when she was back, safely within his reach.

---

Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander.

There was this warm Jacuzzi, with warm water, and a man to hold her… Warm and fluffy images drifted into her mind. Oh, how much she longed for a long, hot bath in that Jacuzzi, with that particular man just holding her…

Her mind wandered back to reality. This water was cold as ice. She felt like an ice popsicle at the Antarctic, probably the only Ganado-free place left in the world. No… that would have Ganado-penguins.

A single tear plummeted to the water. Followed by another, and soon a whole stream of tears rained upon the surface. Shaking, she tried to prevent the burning tears from falling.

With a little yelp she jumped as a pair of arms worked themselves around her waist, pulling her close to a warm chest. Lips pressed to her neck left a little kiss. She could smell him, that distinct "Leon"-scent, mingled with blood, gore and salt.

This daydream of hers became a little too real, yet she was wide awake. '…Leon?'

'Hmm…?'

She turned in his arms, buried her face against his chest and cried and cried and cried…

---

'How did this happen?' Muscles tensed as her fingertips brushed the scars on his chest.

His hands fell gently onto the water, droplets being send into the air, landing on the water's surface again.

As he let his head fall back, he exhaled, secretly enjoying her touch.

'Was it Raccoon City?' She traced that one scar all the way up to his collarbone. A small soft hand, a hand that had never seen rough labor or held weaponry, moved over his neck and down again, to his shoulders. Heat flushed him. If he didn't stop her now, whatever resistance he had against "lovely wanton targets" would be flushed down the drain.

'I don't want you to get any more scars… because of me,' she whispered, as her hands came to rest on his shoulders.

Bruised, because of her. He had caught her when she fell, and he landed flat on his back with her in his arms. It had left him grunting in pain and a black and blue back.

Soft warm hands kneaded his sore muscles.

For a second, Ada's memory whimpered within his soul, banging the mental door he had shut when he had checked her dead body. Pushing her aside, he went back to the young woman in front of him. She was alive, had a warm body and everything he needed right now.

Gently he tilted her head, lowering his head for a small kiss. Just to check if she… wanted – not the best choice of words, he mused – it too.

Yep.

His last restraint went down the drain as she kissed him back…

---

Later that day, Leon sat content on the river bed, enjoying a well deserved grilled fish. Above the fire their clothes hung to dry. Most likely they would smell like smoked oak and pine wood, but it was worth it. At least they would have dry warm clothes for the night, without blankets.

Ashley sat close to him, her head resting on his shoulder.

Even though they were on this god forsaken continent, they could still recreate that little heaven.

---

Analyzing feelings was his weakest point. Analyzing battlefields and situations, followed by actions, that was his strongest point.

Wandering with Ashley through the godforsaken wilds of Spain, his mind wandered to the guns. He had fallen twice – one time on the demolished island and the second time from exhaustion. What if he would fall a third time, and Ganado would be there to take away Ashley, or kill them both?

'Would you…' She tilted her head slightly to the side. '…learn how to fire a gun?' It was the stupidest question: bullets were a golden treasure he had to protect, not to share with inexperienced targets he had to rescue.

There would be no one now to recue them. His cell phone was dead so presumably his CO believed that he had died too, along with Ashley. And if he would fall, for good, Ashley would be out there on her own, without knowing what to do. If she could fire a gun, she might even stand a small chance of survival.

She thought it over for a few seconds. 'You really believe I can learn to fire one?' Without missing, that is? 

'Hey… I wouldn't have asked if I'd say you couldn't.' Was that a compliment? Leon? What is this? Developing feelings after making out with her?

'If you think I can…' She shrugged and waited for him to react.

'Well, why not get started right away?' He gestured to movement he had noticed not too long ago. 'Moving targets are the best for practice. The hardest, but the best.'

With eyes wide she watched him grab a gun and lock and load it. Did he expect her to actually hit a Ganado?

He swirled her around on her feet, making her take a proper firing position – bad Leon, bad! His mind screamed as he felt her body close to his again – and handed her the gun.

'Okay… you stand like this, your legs a bit apart and in one line, for balance. Raise your arms to the same level as your shoulders, but don't lock the elbows. Keep it in a tight grip and focus on where you want the bullet to end.' With one arm wrapped around her waist and one to hold her hands in place, he guided her, 'now gently squeeze the trigger, no pulling, but squeezing…'

Guided by Leon, she fired. Or more likely, he used her body as an extension as he fired. The rebound caused her to fall back to him, crashing into his chest. An occasional yelp escaped her throat.

Once the Ganado came too close, he released his grip around her waist and hefted with his free hand another gun. Firing alongside her, he destroyed more Ganado than she did. In the end, the Ganado had fallen and the couple stood there with smoking guns on the field of victory.

'For a beginner, Ashley, you did a good job.' For the first time in days since their return to Spain, he was actually proud of her.

Most of his targets were afraid of guns, but she, though equally afraid, had accepted the gun and fired. Okay, she missed half the time in what was a complete waste of bullets, but there was this little smile on her face every time she had hit the target in the head. Not exactly between the eyes as he wanted it, but it was a start.

She let out a small giggle he had somehow began to appreciate. 'You think?'

'Yeah. Or else I wouldn't have said that.' Repacking the guns, he grabbed her hand. 'Better get out, why?'

'Or else we will be swarmed with more Ganado, and that is bad.'

'Good. You're a smart girl, next time you can replace me on the field of battle.' He gave her a quick hug before they set out again, running to whatever end there was.

---

In the following weeks Leon began to find it nice to teach her the basic principles of surviving and handling guns. It took his mind off the situation and gave her something useful to do. If they had to stay here for a darn long time, he'd better make the best of it.

Since the coast was a no-go area – swarmed with Ganado – he figured that traveling around would be better. Some places seemed to be safe, others they literally had to run for their lives from. On one occasion they found a car, and lots of gasoline, at an abandoned gas station. It would help to travel fast from place to place, and with Ashley's driving skills (she couldn't drive normal at all, but that didn't matter) they got pretty far inland.

Finding out the next big issue. Smuttiness after Ganado killing was his way of getting rid of the aggression buildup inside his mind.

Yet it led to something he DEFENITELY wasn't ready for.

'Leon?'

'Yes?'

'I haven't had my period for at least one and a half months…' She sounded very guilty.

'That means?'

'That I'm pregnant.'

'What? Wait? How!?'

'Ehm… want me to put it blunt, or to give it a sugar coating?'

'I prefer blunt.'

'You ejaculated inside me, so your semen combined with my egg cell resulting in a baby growing in my womb?'

'I should have gone for the sugar coating,' he muttered.

'That means that… well… we're going to be parents…'

He wanted to say that babies and war zones weren't a smart idea. He wanted to say that he was not ready to father the baby. He wanted to say there was no "we" at all. He wanted to say a lot of things.

'And… I'm sorry for getting pregnant… should have known better.'

He snorted, 'It takes two to tango. It happened, okay? We'll figure out what to do.' It wasn't the best answer he could give. He would deal with it, survive and go on with life.

And after the survival part, he wouldn't know what to do.

---

For another three months they traveled through the Spanish landscape, hunted down like rabbits by Ganado, until they found this little abandoned compound…

---

A/N4: you really, really, really believe that I would even consider invading that part of what is left of their privacy? Let the couple be… Besides, Leon would kill me for that. *yelps and runs*

There's enough smut on the internet. (aka: I'm the most terrible smut writer there is, so I'm not going to bother you with that)


	2. Cravings

**Title**: Cravings

**Subtitle **: Only four more months to go...

**Chapter**: 2

**Summary**: Leon never lets anything get to him, nor Ashley. They're best friends, and lovers. Love... can lead to certain results...

**Pairing**: LeonxAshley

**Rating**: R

**Warnings**: what's worse than Ganado? Pregnant women AND Ganado.

**A/N**: My best knowledge of RE4 is what Mr. Blastebird from Deviantart told me: killing Ganado with a bullet straight between the eyes, and that Leon only one time says: "Stand back, Ashley".

So forgive me if this is very OOC. This plotbunny kept staring at me and knowing plotbunnies... resistance is futile. Ms. Cookiecat? The plotbunny hunt shirt worked! #dances embarrassing little victory dance#

**A/N2**: Based on animeconvention sillyness and this pic: .com/art/Leon-versus-pregnancy-121530635

On with da show!

---

Leon.

Big, strong, tough guy. (according to Ashley)

No nonsense, no mercy attitude.

Handsome and good looking. (according to Ashley)

Qualified to kill Ganado.

Expert in killing Ganado (according to Ashley)

Never lets anything get to him, nor to Ashley.

Never? (according to Ashley)

---

With a sigh he got up from the bunk. It was like, in the middle of the darn night, after a darn day of killing Ganado everywhere in the world, being hunted, tormented and practically Ganado-fied he fell asleep next to her already sleeping form.

Until now.

She was at it again.

'...and when you're at it... please will you get me some yoghurt-dipped paprika chips? With honey-whiskey sauce?'

Women and their crazy food addictions during pregnancy.

Keeping his grumbles and nags inside, he rolled his eyes - thank the heavens she couldn't see that - and left the bunker, gently closing the door.

The first - and the last time, for that matter - that he slammed the door shut behind him, Ashley cried for hours, yelling that he didn't love her, that this was all his fault and that he had knocked her up on purpose.

Women and their crazy messed up hormones during pregnancy.

It had taken him - like what? - four hours and a lot of whispering sweet little nothings, promises, hugs and flying cups, before her sobs ended with little hiccups, her head against his shoulder and a field of dead Ganado - he had to kill his frustration and he did that in a... good way.

_And if this was just the fifth month, what would labor be like?_ he mused to himself as he left to find this "yoghurt-dipped paprika chips with honey-whiskey sauce" craving for his lady love.

With a little reminder - read: yell - from the bunk to take his guns and ammunition along as a precaution, he left to find this... disgusting something that she craved for right now. Yesterday it was cherries with chocolate and disco pop sprinkles. The day before nasi goreng with wasabi. The day before that it was salmon with whipped cream and mustard-mayonnaise.

Women...

He certainly hoped that if he would die, he would never be reincarnated as a woman. Being a woman meant hell itself. Menstruations meant that Ganado found them more easily. Pregnancies meant that he would stand alone for nine months and nine months after that.

Hey... He did have his honor! Ashley wasn't allowed to set one foot on the field of battle, not even to touch a gun or knife. That was when he snapped, yelled and bitched about the kid to be raised in a safe world until she cried and promised that she would never do so again. (Take up a gun and clean it when he left to kill Ganado, that is)

As he took a seat behind the wheel of his truck, his fists clenched around the wheel.

_Our kid, _he thought, _has to be raised in safety._

With his trustful guns strapped on to him, he started the car and left the underground garage. It wasn't morning yet, so he had to be swift. Ganado were all over the place...

---

For as far as the baby allowed her to - at night - she paced up and down the small bunker. Leon was gone for half an hour by now. She knew, for he had given her this watch when they found out she was pregnant.

_"Whenever I'm not back in an hour, move. Take up the guns and the car, and move. If I live, I will find you at the new location. If I'm not... I don't want to kill you...when I'm a Ganado..." _

It was probably one of the most romantic things he had ever said to her. Leon wasn't the type of guy to spill his feelings, yet when he did, he did with such a passion that she got all warm and fuzzy inside. Next to that, it was the first time the baby moved. She had told him, and placed his hand on her ever growing tummy, and he had smiled and kissed her as he felt the baby kick and pound.

_"A little fighter, if you ask me" _

---

Wiping off the last remains of the Ganado stuff, Leon headed back to base. He had found this stupid yoghurt and paprika chips and honey sauce without whiskey - he would lecture her about alcohol and babies back at base.

He was exhausted. _Baby and Babe... that ought to keep me going..._ musing to himself he began singing little nursery rhymes his mother sang for him when he was a little boy. Silly, how one can remember so much when a baby is on the way.

---

One hour had passed. Ashley sat on the small bunk, waiting for Leon's return. His watch beeped, alarming her. She should have taken preparations and left. Yet, there was this stupid feeling that said she should stay. Leon wasn't back yet.

_What am I? Getting all soft by now? But what if I move... and Leon gets hurt searching for me? Than he won't ever be able to hold his baby. _

Soft sounds alerted her. Sounds she knew all too well. As she turned her head to the closed door, she knew she was locked in.

This wasn't Leon coming home.

These were Ganado.

---

How could this have happened? The garage door was open.

Leaving the car outside the bunker, Leon locked and loaded his gun, ready for the fight coming up.

Normally - since Ashley's pregnancy that is - he would have tiptoed in, killed all the Ganado so skillfully that Ashley slept through it all and cleaned the place before she would wake up.

Now he barged in, killing and firing at will. Whatever had claimed him, it had driven him mad with a fury to take down his foes. Bullet after bullet left the barrels of his guns, he emptied the magazines and replaced 'm so rapidly that it nearly surprised him and kept firing continuously.

Finally the last Ganado had fallen in the garage. Now to sweep clean the rest of the place. His senses were spiked with aggression as he walked through the place and emptied his guns. One by one, their foes fell.

When it was over, the sound of guns fired echoed within his ears. His mind worked furiously, where were they? Where?

As he heard the sound of footfall rapidly closing in, he turned, ready to fire, were it not for this weight crashing into him. It screamed and cried; foul stench burned in his nose and made him sick to his stomach. It held his arms pinned down, preventing him from fighting back as he was used to. Death closed in on him, and he hoped so that Ashley had left. Now he wouldn't be able to kill her, if he would become a Ganado this night.

---

The sounds of the Ganado had died, along with the gunfire. Whoever it was, she had to be careful. Carrying a small handgun, she left the safety of the bunker and went into the corridor, after the usual sneak-peeking behind the corners.

There was still this sound of fighting somewhere further down the corridor. Leon's voice, as he growled in the fight, the odd voices of the Ganado, as they tried to best him. Leon had this distinctive growl whenever he was cornered and nearly lost.

Never thinking about herself nor the baby, she moved forward. 'Don't touch my guy!' She fired a couple of rounds before she had the attention of the Ganado. Then she emptied her guns. A total of four Ganado fell before she got a visual on Leon.

'Leon!' It was more of a sob than his name that left her lips, as she kneeled next to him: 'What happened? You're bleeding! '

Leon checked his injuries as he sat up. 'Nah, that's nothing, babe.' He placed his hand on her tummy. 'How's our baby?'

'Babe? nothing?!' Checking on his injuries, Ashley nearly went furious. 'Mister, you nearly died here!'

Whatever had claimed him, hearing her voice, seeing her presence and being close to her, had let him go by now. She was yelling at him, so she was alive. A bloodstained hand covered her lips, silencing her. 'You can do all the yelling and screaming you want, after we've moved. You and the baby come first. I'm second place.'

With that he grabbed her by the shoulder -'Get your things' - and helped her pack: 'Your yoghurt dipped whatever is in the car.'

All the while she kept surprisingly silent. For the past four weeks she had muttered whenever he came "home" bleeding. Now she held her tongue; her face, however, did not.

The yoghurt-dipped paprika chips with honey sauce were forgotten.

---

Several hours later, in a safer place...

For once, it was nice to hear her muttering about him not being careful in battle, about him taking too many risks, about him being reckless. Calloused fingers had bandaged him, early in the morning, and she nearly turned him into a mummy, before he smiled and kissed her.

Than he placed his ear on her tummy and wrapped his arms around the small of her back. 'Will you keep quiet; I'm talking to my daughter here.'

Flabbergasted, she had stared at him, before her face became angelic and she stroked his head.

'Yes? You're going to be the best Ganado-killer alive? And the most beautiful? I'm gonna teach you all of my tricks and momma's gonna do the same. Then the three of us will save the world!'

Then he pulled her into his lap and held her close, basking in her warmth, enjoying her scent and loving her heartbeat. It was good to hear her giggle, to hold her and to feel the baby bounce around in her tummy.

It meant that they were alive.

He had to protect his angels, he thought, as the sun rose above the horizon. As soon as the sun touched her, he noticed that she was asleep. Gently, he shifted so he would block out the sun and let her sleep. She needed to sleep, for the sake of their baby.

For the first time in months, he felt life was worth living.

He loved 'm both. He would do anything for them.

Even if it meant getting smoked salmon in chocolate-cherry sauce in the middle of the night.

---

owari


	3. Hereby I solemnly swear

**Title**: Hereby I promise never to have sex with a woman again

**Subtitle**: Who's Gravity?

**Chapter**: 3

**Summary**: Leon is a big strong man, no nonsense guy. He is an expert in everything. Everything? Well… except for what women endure after nine months of pregnancy…

**Pairing**: LeonxAshley

**Rating**: R

**Warnings**: what's worse than Ganado? A woman giving birth. Ask any guy who fainted during the birth of his kids.

**A/N**: My best knowledge of RE4 is what Mr. ~Blastebird told me: killing Ganado with a bullet straight between the eyes, and that Leon only one time says: "Stand back, Ashley".  
So forgive me if this is very OOC. This plotbunny kept staring at me and knowing plotbunnies… resistance is futile. Ms. ~cutecookiecat ? The plotbunny hunt shirt worked! *dances embarrassing little victory dance*

**A/N2**: Somehow the strongest men manage to turn into complete soft idiots – seen it – when their lady love gives birth. *evil smirk and singing* Oh Leon…!

A/N3: I'm sorry if he appears too much of an idiot, for I have heard men actually say these things to the doctor when their lassies were in… I'm not gonna give it all away! On with da show and do some good R&R afterwards!

---

It had started with just a regular pain in the back.

As if she was in the midst of her period.

The only problem was: she hadn't been in her period for over nine whole months.

That's when it began…

---

He would never complain about pain again.

Ever.

Shoot him the next time he complained a wound was painful.

This made him understand that pain – the pain that he endured – was irrelevant.

---

'What am I supposed to do?'

Merchant rolled his eyes and sighed. Didn't he know?

'She's in pain!'

'That is obvious…' Merchant rolled his eyes again. What was this guy? Skilled in combat, an expert in survival and retrieval missions, but a total noob when it came to the one thing that currently meant the survival of the human race on this side of the Atlantic.

'Well?!'

With another sigh, Merchant started: 'Comfort her, massage her back when she asks you to, whisper little nothings that everything will be alright and stuff and wait until the baby is born. Until the birth giving part is over, she will be in pain.'

'But?!'

'No buts but your own, you started this!' she grunted with terror in her eyes.

'And she will most likely be like that during labor, crushing your hand and shrieking and growling all sorts of insults she doesn't mean at all,' Merchant pointed out as he grabbed a small basket and made his way for the door.

'But… what?! Wait!' Merchant left; he had better things to do now then to comfort the idiot combatant and his little lassie in labor.

Oh dear God… What had they started that dreaded night? What had he done to her?

'Oh… and if you faint…' Merchant peeked around the corner, 'she'll never forgive you. So stay on your feet, soldier.'

---

Books… there must be some sort of information about labor, giving birth and babies. Getting smoked salmon with cherry sauce and strawberry sprinkles in the middle of the darn night after a darn fight was nothing compared to this. For nine long months he had managed to hide the three of them – himself, Ashley and their unborn baby – but now, with her ever growing painful grunts, there was no chance they would remain unfound.

'Hmpf…' Merchant gave the couple a weary smile when he returned, 'still in labor I see?'

'How long will this take?' Leon grunted through his teeth, 'she's crushing my hand.'

'Than free your hand and massage the pain away?' the strange man never paid any attention to the couple at all, as he emptied the basket on the table and began sorting out green leaves and flowers.

This was no time at all, in Leon's opinion, to make bouquets.

Right now, Leon wished that he could shoot Merchant. It wasn't the brightest of ideas, since Merchant knew about labor and supplied him with stuff. Tormented by Ashley's bone-crushing grip on his hand – the girl could be strong after all – he had little else to do but to sit this contraction out.

From the other side of the small makeshift room Leon noticed that Merchant had began mashing some green stuff in a bowl. 'If you have nothing else to do but complaining, check the time between her contractions.'

'What for?'

Did Merchant have to explain everything? 'It indicates how far along she is in giving birth…'

'Oh…' He could almost hear Merchant whisper: bonehead.

A few minutes later, Merchant moved towards Ashley. His raspy voice and scary eyes almost freaked the hell out of her.

'Calm down, girl… here, drink this. It will help.' Placing the small bowl at her lips, he gave her some icky green stuff to drink. It smelled foul and tasted disgusting and it took all her strength to drink the stuff. 'Not all medicine tastes good, little girl.'

'What is that?'

'Now you wonder about what she gets to drink? It helps speed up labor.' Merchant growled softly at him, 'Now act as if you know what you're doing. She's uncertain about this situation, and so are you. Your ridiculous mental state drives her even more uncertain. So act mature and comfort her!'

'How?!'

'AARGH! Just hold her! Warm her back, hold her as she is in pain and play the strong soldier for her!'

Biting back, Leon did as told. Oh dear God… how he hated not to be in control of the situation, not knowing what would happen next.

Eliminate enemies: can be done

Retrieve the President's daughter: piece of cake

Make out with President's daughter: easier then you can say "crazy-ass Ganado killer on the loose"

Helping her during labor: ………

Merchant sighed and picked up what cushions and blankets he had. Even in this war-torn area, he wanted to be as comfortable as the situation allowed him to be.

Shoving everything up against the wall and the floor, he gestured Leon to come over. 'Pick her up and sit with her, she against your chest, you against the wall. No questions, just do it.'

Finally, he got the hang of it. He figured, after touching her back, that if her muscles were sore and aching from the involuntary contractions, that warmth could loosen up her muscles a bit. Still, he felt uncomfortable in this position. He was stuck between Ashley and the wall and couldn't move freely. That was something he hated too.

On the other hand, it was a lot better that Ashley had stopped complaining, with an occasional grunt as a contraction overwhelmed her.

It had a deeper meaning. If the soldier was stuck against the wall, he wouldn't be able to kill Merchant whenever Ashley would give birth in the end. Men were crazy creatures, when it came to women in labor.

'Now the time between her contractions please? Tell me sometime before labor is over?'

---

'Five minutes…' Leon timed, 'that means?' At last, he had figured out that a contraction meant all her abdominal muscles cramping and that the time between contractions meant that her abdominal muscles were relaxed.

'That she is getting closer to giving birth itself.'

'And that will be in how much time?'

'I don't know. Some women take several hours, others more then a day. She's young and it's her first, so expect the worst.'

'…No…' a small whimper emerged from Ashley, 'not a day…'

'Hush girl, what is one day in a human lifetime?'

'Actually…. How many times have you assisted women with giving birth?'

'With humans? None. I've helped cows.'

It was that he was stuck against the wall, with Ashley holding him down. Or else he would have stormed at Merchant and beaten the crap out of him.

'Cows, women, they're all the same,' Merchant continued before Leon could explode in rage, 'so don't complain about that. Be glad that someone has a little experience here.'

'Well,' he replied with sarcasm in his voice, 'then I'm glad that at least one of us has experience…'

Merchant smirked and continued to do his chores, as if the couple just wasn't there.

---

'Ouch!'

'Ouch?' Looking up from mashing some more green leaves and whatevers, Merchant smirked. 'She hasn't said ouch in hours and you complain about her nails digging in your thighs?'

If looks could kill, Merchant would be a puddle of goo by now. But the man was right, somehow.

'Try ouch next time… with giving birth…' Ashley managed to croak out between her gritted teeth.

'How much time between the contractions?'

'Two minutes…'

'Good…' Merchant grabbed a blanket and threw it over Ashley's legs, 'now prop up your legs dear, good…' Much to Leon's fury, Merchant's hands disappeared underneath the blanket.

'What the hell are you doing with my girl!?' Now Merchant was glad Leon was trapped between Ashley and the wall. He would not have survived at all.

Merchant sighed wearily, rolled his eyes and grunted, 'checking how much dilatation she has?'

'Come again?'

'Through what do you think the baby leaves her body?'

'Excuse me?'

'The same channel the baby got in?'

'And that is?!'

'Her vagina, you idiot!' [1]

---

This left Leon completely pale.

He would never ever do that again to Ashley, nor to any other woman in his life! This was definitely the last time.

Sex was easy, nice and fun. It didn't hurt, if he took his time.

Labor, the result of sex and nine months of pregnancy – indicating that unprotected sex and no birth control was a prelude to hell – hell itself.

'I never thought I'd say this, but… men! No wonder women complain about our gender…' he muttered to himself before he turned to Ashley again. 'Calm down dear, you can do this. Just relax a little bit. It won't be long from here.'

She gave a weary nod. 'Make it end…'

'That's up to you, my dear.' Merchant removed his blood stained hands from the blanket. 'I'd say you're ready to.' If only you could keep quiet, than you won't attract any of our foes… 'Keep breathing, that's the key…'

'Well?'

'Well what?'

'How much dilatation?'

'Five centimeters…'

'Just five?' Ashley wailed, 'but… I can't take much more!'

For the first time in seven hours, Leon did something smart.

'Yes you can…' he whispered sweetly, his lips close to her ear, 'you can. I know. You're my strong Ashley…' whispering sweet little nothings and encouragements. Ashley seemed to calm down from the "terrible" news. A little smile indicated that she relaxed, as she rested her head against his shoulder.

Actually, she did better than most of the cows Merchant had assisted during birth.

---

'Shouldn't she be lying down?' Leon asked, perhaps his second smart remark in hours. He actually grew some brains!

'No. Let gravity help her.' The labor itself had started; she was bleeding and in ever growing pain.

'Gravity? Who's Gravity?' Correction, he didn't grow a brain.

'Huff with her, if you can't ask smart questions.'

'There are no stupid questions, only stupid people.' Leon retorted.

'And you're one of them.'

---

Settling between her thighs, Merchant patted her legs, 'Come on girl… push with all your might…' She did. Encouraging her, Merchant found out that she actually did her best to push the baby out.

'Good girl, good girl, now take a breather…' her face had turned red; her head slammed back against Leon's shoulder as she huffed for free air.

Ashley gave him a weary smile.

'Now… come on … you can do it! Push!'

She did. And again… and again… and again…

---

How the hell did that little being sprout from their lovemaking?

Somehow terribly weak in the stomach, and terribly proud, Leon gazed at that little being in Ashley's arms.

'She's got my eyes.' The little girl had somehow caught his finger and wouldn't let go.

'Silly… all babies have blue eyes when born.' With a smile she answered, 'Look, she's got some grip.'

'Like her mother,' he mused, stretching his free – and almost crushed – hand.

'Will the two of you cut the sweetness and get ready to move?'

'What for?'

'Don't turn all sappy and fluffy on me now, soldier. Why do you think I never stay at one place?'

'Ganado?'

'Bingo, give that man a prize!'

'But how are we supposed to move her?!'

Merchant sighed, Dear Lord, give me patience with this man… 'She walks with us?'

'I can walk.' Giving both men a weary smile she tried her best to get up and walked a little, 'See?'

'You walk like you've taken a helluva beating from a Ganado,' was Leon's best answer, before she shot him a dark look.

'You try to walk after giving birth.'

'That's impossible for a man.'

'I know, 'cause if you men did this, Mr. Smart-ass, the human race would be extinct by now.'

'You win.' Smiling, he got up, relieved that she was literally off his chest.

It wasn't possible arguing with Ashley at the moment. She would walk, whether the two men wanted or not.

---

Why did I let them talk me into being their donkey? I might as well grow a tail and donkey ears… Leon dragged a makeshift sled behind him with the supplies of the small cabin. Weaponry, potions, sprays, bandages, herbs and whatever supplies Merchant had.

Why did I let them talk me into traveling with them? Wherever he goes, trouble is up ahead… Merchant sighed, one out of many sighs that day. Leon dragged his supplies; he carried the baby.

Why did I let them talk me into walking? This hurts even worse than labor… Ashley thought as she tried to walk with dignity. The cane she used for support chafed her hands and her belly hurt like hell.

'We're being followed.' Merchant's raspy voice broke the silence, 'and the baby is hungry and… smelly.'

'How are we going to do things? I mean… me changing the diapers and feeding, and you guys doing the shooting part?'

'We hide in there.' At long last Leon was glad that he could do something he understood.

"Get chased by Ganado" , "lock and load the guns" and "shoot the Ganado in the head" followed by "save the target" were things he understood. (The same went for "making out with this target".)

---

"In there" was a small abandoned church, probably devoted to some Saint that had failed to protect the inhabitants of the town.

'The Virgin Mary… Mother of God…' Ashley whispered as she entered the church. 'There's a small alcove for her.'

'How nice,' Merchant answered, his voice full of disrespect, 'can she save us? Can she undo what is done?'

'No… but she gives me strength,' she whispered softly, pressing the baby to her chest.

'Than perhaps we should send you out on the field of battle!'

Suddenly Merchant was grabbed by the collar and flung into the wall. 'Now don't raise your voice at my girls!' Bared gritted teeth and a hideous snarl inches from Merchant's face were enough to scare any man. Not Merchant.

He only chuckled, 'Then I will not do so again.'

Behind him, the little girl wailed at the top of her lungs, perhaps the first time that day.

'Hush now sweetie… hush…' Ashley cradled the baby, holding her close, 'Mr. Merchant and daddy won't do that again, if they wish to keep you silent, now will they?' That last came out with a grunt and a foul look.

'No we won't,' both men answered ashamed and in unison. With a final push to the wall, Leon set Merchant free. Ashley had a strange result on Leon. On Merchant too, actually.

Several minutes later, and one silent baby, Leon and Merchant had unwrapped the gear and chosen the choir as their place to be. Ganado were actually good climbers, but if they could get the Ganado to concentrate on them and them alone, Ashley would be safer.

Too bad, Merchant mused as he took position at the choir, the first day in this world, and all the baby would hear was gunfire and feel her parent's fear.

'What is her name?' This caught the two parents off guard.

'Her name?'

'Come on… you've had nine months to think of a name, and you tell me you didn't name her at all?' With a smirk, Merchant turned to the door.

'Look alive. They're here.' It was odd, somehow the Ganado had memory of how to use doors. Slumping in the Ganado zeroed in. One by one they fell as Leon and Merchant let a hail of bullets rain down on them.

'There's just too many of them! Ashley, reload these!' She did as told and shoved the reloaded gun back to Merchant.

'As usual! Now zip it and fire!'

Leon wondered if they would survive. Let alone, get out alive. He could have ended it with grenades, but then he would have run out of 'm. Instead he used the grenades as an easy way to commit suicide. Never would they get Ashley nor their baby alive.

Slowly the Ganado gained access to the choir and started to climb the stairs, and the walls themselves. Should he pull the plug?

No. 'Ashley, take the right and shoot 'm,' Leon ordered, 'Merchant, take the left.' All three covered the walls in a hailstorm of bullets, the sound of gunfire echoing through the chapel, muffling the sound of bodies falling to the ground and the wail of a little unnamed baby.

Taking up a second gun with his free hand, Leon shot several Ganado who succeeded in climbing over the railing of the choir – or for that matter: missed by Ashley's terrible aim – zeroing in on Ashley.

At long last the echoes faded away. The sound of Ganado, falling bodies and a wailing baby faded away as well.

Exhausted, they slept where they sat, hoping that none would enter and kill them in their sleep.

---

The first bath of the baby was a bath in – what was left of – holy water. It was cold, so she could show off (or sound off) her perfect lungs.

'Thought of a name yet?' Merchant took off the cloth covering his head and wrapped the baby in it. To anyone else, it would have been disgusting and unhygienic. To Ashley and Leon, it was the most gentle gesture they'd had in months.

'Your face…' She could hardly believe what she saw. 'What happened?'

Scars from a burning covered the right side of his face. His eyes, uneven and in different colors, added to his appearance. Where there should have been a nose, there were two holes; the same went for his right ear.

Sad Merchant turned away from her touch and gaze. 'Do not look at me, I know what I am. A hideous freak.'

'No… you're not,' she whispered, 'you are the kindest person who helped us here.'

'Well… yeah…'

'What? No snappy remarks?' With a smirk Leon left the choir to check the surroundings for safety. Before he left, he saw that she kissed Merchant on the cheek and that Merchant turned all red. Yeah… sometimes life could be good.

'Why do you help us?' she finally dared to ask.

'Because no one was there to help my family when they were in dire jeopardy.'

'You had a family?'

'Odd neh, that such a hideous man can have a family.'

'No. I just wondered… did you gain these scars defending them?'

'There was a fire. Ganado had destroyed most of the house, the gas pipes exploded eventually and burned them alive. My sons died right away. I carried my wife and daughter out, only to find out my wife had died in the fire. My youngest daughter died days later.'

Ashley remained silent for a few moments. 'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be. It wasn't your fault.'

---

'What's your name, Merchant?'

'Never ask for someone's name. You befriend 'm and loose 'm just as fast in this godforsaken continent. It's Ahmet.'

'And you keep calling for God all the time.'

'Well… yeah…' He changed the subject. 'Name your daughter, so you can remember her if she dies here.'

'She won't die. I won't let that happen. Leon won't let that happen.'

'All clear!' Leon ran back into the church. 'It's safe for the time being, repack and let's go!'

'Lily…' Ahmet spoke softly, as his eyes drifted to the statue of the Virgin Mary, constantly praying to some heaven that didn't exist here, for people long gone, 'my daughter's name was Lily.'

'Lily it is, don't you think, Ashley?' Not knowing that Leon had entered the choir he turned around.

'Lily…' The baby opened her eyes and gazed up at her mother. 'Let's go Lily, we must follow daddy around, to safer places…'

'Daddy?' Ahmet's smirk grew wider. 'Daddy Leon?'

'Cut the crap, we have to go.'

'Okay… daddy. '

---

Ashley halted at the alcove of the Virgin Mary. She was not religious at all, but she had to do something. It didn't feel right, being protected in a church without sending thanks to whatever God was left in heaven – if there was one.

Whispering a quick thanks, she lit a wax light and followed Leon and Ahmet out the church.

'Hurry the hell up will ya!?'

'Just saying thanks.'

'Women…'

---

Owari

[1] One man believed – at that moment of total panic – that babies were just pulled out and that everything was over. Through what babies were pulled out, he didn't remember (anymore?). The guy fainted when he found out the baby came out of the vagina -_- That explains the stupidest part of the story.


	4. It's good to be home

**Title**: It's good to be home…

**Subtitle: **Yeah, right

**Chapter**: 4

**Summary**: Leon is a big strong man, no nonsense guy. He is an expert in everything. Everything? Fathers can be quite troublesome. Especially when the said father is your supreme boss and ruler of a nation…

**Pairing**: LeonxAshley

**Rating**: R

**Warnings**: man-talk (or something resembling that) B-movie scenarios, lots and lots of tears and girly stuff and other romantic crap. Next to that: politics.

**A/N**: This is a time span of several weeks… not bothering to put dates in, but it's going fast. (really? Yes really really)

**A/N2**: No Ganado-shooting this time… Sorry if he's OOC again. I don't believe he's the "I can handle anything alone without blinking and flinching" type of guy. Military man or not, he's human, after all.

---

Yep. It was good to be home.

A regular bath. Brushing teeth twice a day. Clean underwear every day! Even that had become a luxury after Spain. Sleeping on a clean army bunk. Being close to Ashley and Lily.

Or so he thought.

After being send into a war zone, a mission failure, being screamed deaf by his target, getting her pregnant and enduring pregnancy and labour in a war zone, he thought it couldn't get any worse then this.

_Think again_,he muttered to himself. _When my daughter is at the age of dating, shoot me if I act like this._

---

The man in front of him slammed his fist into the table, infuriated and growling with anger.

'You dared to fuck my daughter?!'

Calm as always – from the outside – Leon answered, 'One thing led to another. I'm sorry if that's what you want to know, but I'm not sorry to love her.'

'You're a soldier… you kill on command, what do you know about love?'

'Enough to know I love her.'

'I'm the president! You can't fuck my daughter!'

'And I'm the father of the baby!' Leon bellowed back, his voice so loud that the guards outside the office ran in to check on the president.

With that shouted, both men stared at each other, guards behind Leon, ready to interfere.

'You will deny that the kid is yours. So will she. The child will not be raised here! And you won't father the child any longer! That's an order!'

'You can order me to do anything you want, but you cannot release me from this task.'

'Than I can send you to Spain.' The president regained his grip on his behaviour. 'A group has gotten lost there… get back to base, you'll receive your orders within a day.'

Leon wondered if the said group had been "geographically embarrassed" at all. If there was a group at all.

As he left the White House, he wondered in what room she slept. Not that he had much chance of paying her and their baby a visit. If he'd break and run now, he'd be shot down like a coward. The last thing Leon was, was a coward.

When he got to his old bunk, dozens of comrades had said their hellos to him. He was pretty much a hero, for having survived there that long. No one knew about Lily. No one knew about what happened between him and Ashley. For all they cared, Lily was just a baby found in Spain and taken along by Ashley because of her soft heart.

Soft heart… to hell with that! He needed to vent his aggression. Without a group of Ganado nearby, it was better to go to the gym. Beat the crap out of the sand bags and do some katas to calm down.

---

_The last compound they had stumbled upon was another military compound. This one had an FM radio with special coded transmissions. It needed to be fixed, but that was nothing Leon couldn't handle. Besides, there was enough ammunition here to start a small war, he mused as he stripped the outer casings of the radio. _

_With the radio in his lap, he turned to take a look at his girls. Ashley was so angelic as she fed their little daughter. He sighed, _No getting soft now Leon, get back to work_. Somewhere in the kitchen Ahmet did his best to make paella with practically nothing. It was better than fish, fish soup, roast fish, cooked fish, raw fish and no fish at all. _

_The compound also supplied them with the basics they needed: toothbrushes! Soap! With a smirk he remembered Ashley almost worshipping the toothpaste. Too true, all four of them smelled like a bunch of dead bodies rotting in the sun. Besides, their kid needed a bath, before she'd get real sick from some disease they could have prevented. _

'Men should have daughters. It makes them soft_,' Ahmet had said once,_ _'_and it makes the women more beautiful_.' _

_Yep… Leon was a softie._

_He pictured himself placing the barrel of a gun to the temple of his daughter's boyfriend, telling him forcefully that she should be home at eleven, and that he was in no way allowed to touch her. That he nearly killed the fiancée at her wedding day and that he would bring her to the altar._

Leon, pull yourself together! If you stay here, you can't do that at all!_ He shook his head and got back to work. Quickly done with the radio, he searched the right frequency and started the transmission. _

'_Special agent Leon S. Kennedy, Sierra Romeo Tango unit calling for immediate retrieval from position… There have been severe casualties, we require immediate retrieval… __Does anyone copy?'_

_For what seemed an eternity, the radio crackled with atmospheric static. He nearly gave up hope. The radio was dead. Transmission failed. His mission a complete failure and he would have to protect Ashley and Lily here for the rest of their miserable short lives. _

_Then they got the reply they waited for._

'…_This is Captain Ralphalex, commander of the USS Nevada, we copy…do you have the target?' _

'_Damn it Captain, it's good to hear your voice. Yes, I retrieved the target, and a person extra.'_

'_Copy that, soldier. Stay put, we're coming in to get you.' _

_---_

_Ahmet smiled a gentle smile.__ 'That means the three of you will be going home. That's good.' He knew he was half Ganado, therefore he couldn't survive in the US. Here, he was a free man. In the US he would be a test subject. _

'_I'll never forget you,__' Ashley promised. Their daughter was named after his deceased daughter, so that would be hard. _

'_You should. I am dead. You are not. Live out your lives.' _

_Leon hugged him.__ 'There aren't many foes I can call my friend, but you are one of them.'_

'_Now cut the sappy stuff. There's a chopper approaching, if I'm not mistaken. Go. I'll keep the enemy at bay for as long as I can.'_

'_Goodbye…but not farewell.' Ashley hugged him, and Ahmet cuddled both girls for the last time._

'_In heaven, we'll meet again.' Ahmet spoke. _

'_Or in hell.' Leon shook his hand firmly and slapped him on the back. _

---

Two weeks later the USS Nevada sailed into port, with a whole bunch of strange white flags in tow and an odd combination of naval flags, saying _"Baby on Board"_.

When other captains asked what the flags meant, Captain Ralphalex stated proudly that they indeed had a baby on board.

Lily had come, seen and conquered the hearts of every single man aboard the ship.

Under orders of Leon – sometimes it was good to abuse his rank – Captain Ralphalex was forbidden to say even one word about the true identity of the baby. Both men figured out that Ashley's father wasn't going to like this. Nor Leon's commander.

However, it became a public secret already.

---

One year ago, her eyes had been innocent. Like her mother's.

Now her eyes were hard and cold, like her voice, as she demanded: 'Where is my daughter? Where is Leon?'

Her father raised a brow. 'You don't have to worry about that anymore. Your daughter will be adopted. There are enough loving parents-to-be willing to raise her. As for Leon, that pervert will never touch you again.'

'But I do want to worry about her. I do want to be touched by Leon again.' She blurted out as bluntly as Leon would have, 'You've sent him on some mission, right? Far away from me.'

'That is to protect you.'

'Protect me?! There has only been one man protecting me over the past year and that was Leon! When he lost his cell phone, lost the possibility of contacting the US, did you send another team? No! He protected me there! You didn't do anything!' With that, she took up a small tray with a pot of tea and a few cups and threw it in the direction of her father, whilst shrieking, 'Get out!'

---

The Fourth of July, celebrating the establishment and freedom of the United States of America. Where any man and woman and child should be free.

Leon didn't pay attention to the sparkling fireworks lighting the night sky. He needed to know where Ashley and Lily were.

Now.

Since asking, pleading and threatening wasn't an option, he started his laptop and did something he wouldn't have dared to do a year ago: breaking into the presidential network with the codes of the secretary of the president.

Being drunk and doing bad stuff – along with getting away with it – could be good from time to time. Especially if the drunk was the secretary of the president and not Leon.

He didn't worry about getting imprisoned for this. If Ashley's father could play a dirty game to keep his presidency, so could he to keep Ashley and Lily. It would cost him his job if the military and agencies would find out – perhaps his freedom or his life – but that didn't matter.

Learning a lot from the intelligence he found, his mind began forming a plan. A stupid plan, but it was a plan nonetheless.

He never got far, for the codes had been changed.

---

She had tried it all: crying, shrieking, yelling, pounding, kicking, biting. She should have remembered that if these guys were similar to Leon, that they could handle cries, shrieks, yells, pounds, kicks and bites.

Being dragged back to her room for the umpteenth time was infuriating her.

Nonetheless, she was exhausted.

Somewhere in this godforsaken White House was her daughter – she hoped.

Leon would be residing on a base nearby, he couldn't be far. It was the Fourth of July, and pretty much every soldier was wanted now, to keep America safe from harm during the events. He would probably be guarding some place her father would hold his speech. Or be very far away from that.

Well… exhausted, she remembered, she was pretty much worthless. Get some sleep and get back to trying tomorrow morning. She tried to get back into her bed. The soft cushions and mattress, the silk sheets and soft blankets; within minutes she hated it, knowing that Leon would have a simple woollen blanket with a terrible pillow and a bad bunk. Something she had gotten used to over the past year, if they had the luxury of a bunk.

Tomorrow morning, this bed would go out the door and she'd get herself a nice little army bunk to sleep on. It would be the closest to Leon she would ever get from now on.

---

Hiding a yawn, Leon did his best to look awake. Up all night, making and rejecting plans, trying to crack a code, whilst his body and mind screamed for rest, wasn't the smartest idea this side of the Atlantic.

Hiding on his bunk, under the blankets, he tried at least to sleep in.

Tough luck, with the sound off in the morning.

'Kill that trumpeter!' he muttered softly as the notes of the brass instrument reached his ears, 'kill him!'

'Fat chance.' Max, a friend of his, smirked, 'Get up before CO gets all bossy about you sleeping in.'

'Nah… do I have to?'

'Yep.'

---

'Fine!'

Ashley rolled her eyes. What was it now?

'You want to keep that half breed?'

'That half breed is my daughter! That half breed is Leon's daughter! And your grandchild!

'So you wish to keep that half breed.' Her father calmed down. 'Fine. You may have harmed my public appearance with this, but I will get what I want in the end.'

'And that may be?' _Who the hell did that? Leon?_

'You may raise the child. But you will marry a man I choose for you.'

'I will not marry any other man but Leon.'

'He's the type of guy that has a love in every town. He will forget you in days.'

'He most certainly will not!'

'Trust me… I found his lovers… and they confirm that he is.' With that, her father left, secretly enjoying her stunned expression.

---

He let out a long, deep sigh. Max didn't know what to do for his friend.

The best possible stupid scenario he could come up with was to hijack and kidnap the helicopter squad, make 'm fly over to the church, let Leon down a rope to get his lady love, hop back on the chopper and fly away to the horizon – _romantic crap for girls_.

The next most likely scenario was that if the helicopter squad approached, they would have this Rocket Propelled Grenade on their tail, shooting 'm out of the sky before they got out – _realistic stuff for boys. _

Even if they did succeed in getting Leon's lady love, they still wouldn't have the baby. That would have to be done by some other squad – _realistic stuff for soldiers_.

If all three were together, there was still the problem of being followed, shot down and if still alive, tortured, tormented and eventually killed – _realistic stuff for enemies of the state_.

No.

Max wasn't going to comply with this B-movie scenario he came up with.

'How the heck did you think of that?' Leon tried to smile as Max told him about the scenarios as if he had shopped for groceries.

'That's what happens when you grow up in a house full of girls: I'm the youngest of six, with five older sisters. Imagine the tortures I had to endure: make-up and perfume, dress-ups and high heels, tea parties with stuffed animals and dolls. Imagine how I got to know women: the crying when their boyfriends broke up with 'm, being dragged along to women-stores for underwear and clothes and boots and the sniffling along with the stupidest romantic crap videos I have had to witness as a kid and teen.'

'Poor you… sounds like a real torment to me.'

'Guess what happens if you succeed in rescuing your lady love?'

'The same?'

'Yep. My wife and daughters… make me do the same stuff.'

'Weakling.'

'Hey! It takes balls to watch "_the notebook_" and other romantic crap; try walking into an underwear store. Or bottle feed your daughter in the middle of the night. Girls are a sucker for romantic crap, even when they don't admit it.'

'Hmpf… women have a crazy way of making us men weak.'

'And we love 'm for that.'

'Too true…' Leon sighed. There was just absolutely no chance whatsoever of getting his girls back.

'But to talk about men… why not have a little man to man talk with that crazy ass president-daddy?'

'Why? That won't work.'

'Have you tried it?'

'Yep. And failed miserably.'

'Maybe you didn't say the right words? If fathers hear that you literally fucked their precious little girl into the mattress, they freak out. They freak out anyways, if you only lay your eyes upon them.'

'Hmm… I'm more into military campaigns. That I understand. Not this… romantic crap.'

'It works on girls.'

'Too true. But not on daddies.'

'Imagine how you will react in fifteen years...'

'I'd skin the guy alive if he laid just one look upon her.'

'See? Women have a strange influence on us men. It's an emotional conspiracy I tell you!'

'But we love them for it.'

'Too true.' Max shook his head. There was somehow nothing more fun than dragging out feelings and thoughts from another man, a simple technique he'd learned from his sisters. Talking was a solution, not that B-movie scenario he came up with. That he had his sisters to thank for too.

'Daddy President isn't doing well in the Senate, now is he?' Max changed the subject.

'Nope. He isn't. Senator Blake is giving him a hard time, or so I heard.'

'The press would devour a story like this, right?'

'Yep, the press does already...'

'So…' There was a mischievous twinkle in Max's eyes and his big grin didn't spell any good either.

'Not a smart idea. He'll get rid of you in a foul manner if you go to the press.' Leon didn't want to get his hands burned on this. He would find a way eventually to get close to Ashley and Lily.

'Than what is the best idea?' Max replied, sighing as if he had given in. Leon knew better. Whatever plan had formed in Max' brain was bound to be executed.

'I don't know. You've got an idea, besides evil, mischievous plans?'

'Hmm… leave that up to me, right?' Max winked as the perfected version of the stupid, silly, crazy-ass idea popped into his brain.

'What?'

'What do girls love the most? Knights in shining armour.'

'I am most certainly not going to wear knight's armour for any woman!'

_*__ Sigh.* _'You have a lot to learn when it comes to women and their crazy manner of thinking. Leave it up to me, for once. You just sit here and enjoy the show.'

---

TBC… or else it's way too long to read…


	5. How to get what you want

**Title**: How to get what you want?

**Subtitle**: Military guidelines in politics and romantic crap

**Chapter**: 5

**Summary**: Leon is a big strong man, no nonsense guy. He is an expert in everything. Everything? Try fatherhood…

**Pairing**: LeonxAshley

**Rating**: R

**Warnings**: man-talk (or something resembling that) B-movie scenarios, lots and lots of tears and girly stuff and other romantic crap. Next to that: politics.

**A/N**: This is a time span of several weeks… not bothering to put dates in, but it's going fast. (really? Yes really really)

**A/N2**: No Ganado-shooting this time… Politics along with man talk and stupid romantic crap most of us girls are suckers for.

---

SRT's were allowed to do a lot of filthy stuff.

They got away with it.

Most of the filthy stuff done wasn't even recorded, or recorded in files only the president and direct military staff could enter.

That helped save everyone a lot of trouble.

Anyway… the opposition of the Senate loved such complots to death…

---

It was of some help that he understood women. Give 'm flowers, compliments, chocolate, a few free dinners and they become complete suckers for even a dangerous request.

Max was more then happy to be an SRT once in a while. This was crazy-ass stuff, but at least he could retire in a decent fashion and spend some good old quality time with his wife and daughters. He became disgusted of the killing on command.

This was actually… fun.

'So… mister…' Senator Blake was a good looking man, quickly increasing his power in the Senate with beautiful words, good looks and the fact that he was still single. He made the President look bad, very bad, as he often lectured about family and fatherhood from the moment a little bit of America's latest version of "Romeo and Juliet" leaked to the press.

'My name is not yours to know.' Clad in black, with black camouflage covering his face, a man stood in the office, in front of man behind a desk.

'Okay. I'll call you Mr. John Doe. At least that's better then nothing at all.' Senator Blake knew very well that only the best could come in like that, avoiding all security and cameras.

Remind Max never to get into politics. He hated it already as he noticed the good looking man with flashy grin and honey-covered poisonous words.

'Have a seat.'

'I prefer to stand, if you don't mind.'

'Fine. Than have a drink. I can recommend the bourbon.'

'Can we get to the point? I'm not here to drink but to share information.'

'If you wish, my friend. What kind of information?'

'You want the president out of the White House, right?'

'Yes.'

'Someone wants his girls back.'

'Mr. Kennedy? I am aware of the rumour that he has fathered a daughter with Ms. Ashley. She has the kid back, but the father is still unknown. Or so the President says.'

'The President does know who the father of the baby is. As well as the fact that the retrieval mission itself had another goal from the beginning.'

'Excuse me?'

Max threw several files onto the oak wooden desk. 'Enjoy your reading, sir.' With that, he left.

---

When he turned on the small TV in the quarters, IT was all over the morning news. A picture of him and Ashley, and in the ticker there was the note of a baby hidden by the government.

A blonde reporter stood in front of the White House, gesturing at it: _'… and here they did it. The president actually took his daughter's baby and put her up for adoption. Now the question of the people is whether or not he will have that done to other young women.' She stopped a regular pedestrian. 'Good morning madam, do you have a daughter?'_

'_Yes.'_

'_Would you appreciate it, if she's about 20 years old and pregnant by the man she loves, that your president gives the baby up for adoption?'_

'_Fat chance, I'd kill him myself if he touched my daughter!'_

'_This news comes right after the fourth of July, where our ancestors, the founders of the United States of America, solemnly swore that everyone in our nation is free. The opposition in the Senate will love this. Tune in after the daily news, for we have more reactions of people passing the White House …'_

Leon zapped to another channel with apparently more news reports.

'…_Now who is this father of the baby of the First Daughter? Note that Ashley got kidnapped almost one and a half years ago and that a special agent was sent in to retrieve her. His back-up crew died there in Spain, within a few weeks. Only one man came back alive: Special Agent Leon Scott Kennedy, along with his target Ashley Graham and the baby, who is named Lily. Now the baby…' _

He was just named in public? As father of the baby? Who the heck…

'It's the latest and hottest issue at the moment.' Max smirked and slapped Leon on the shoulder. 'Damn man! You got yourself the jackpot!'

'That jackpot is out of my reach…' He didn't bother to drink his coffee. 'Whatever the media will say, she's gone. So is Lily.'

'Lily's your daughter's name, right? Sweet.'

Both men looked up, footfall stormed towards their bunks. They jumped into position as the door was thrown open and a red-faced man stormed in. Quickly they saluted, sharing for a second a look of confusion.

'Kennedy! What the heck did you do?' the man shouted, 'the press is all over the place!'

'He didn't do anything, sir.'

'Did I say you could speak?'

'No sir, sorry sir.'

'Well?'

Turning his attention to Leon again, he noticed the blank stare in his eyes. 'I know nothing, sir.'

'SRT's… there's always shit wherever you go!' The CO paced anxiously up and down the floor. 'The president is giving me troublesome questions I cannot answer, the CO from the USS Nevada will not answer a single question and you know nothing?!'

'As I said, sir, I know nothing.'

'My ass you know nothing. I will find that little mouse that squeaked, and when I do, I'll kill it myself.'

'Whatever you want, sir.'

'AARGH! SRT's…'

---

'What the hell have you done this time?!' Ashley had become used to her father interrupting her by storming into her chambers. She was just about done breast feeding the baby as he burst in.

'What is it that I should have done, or not have done, this time?' With whatever grace she had left, she stood.

'Cover yourself, indecent woman.'

'Why? You storm in without knocking. Now get to the point.'

'Senator Blake has risen the question of whether or not I should stay on as president. He knows things only specific people know. And your Leon is one of them!'

'Then go to Leon. Not me.' Lily wailed; a little burp was apparently stuck in her little throat. Placing her on her shoulder, Ashley patted her back and waited for her to burp.

'I will… and this time, he'll be punished for it.'

'I thought you would send him back to Spain? Or so I've heard on the news this morning. Isn't that punishment enough?'

---

Thomas muttered, sighed and grunted. Life as the Secretary of State was difficult.

Especially with this new development. The first was killed easily within a few days: the rumours of First Baby being put up for adoption by force was killed with Ashley's public appearance WITH said baby.

This new development would crumble everything. Some top-secret SRT reports not even the president knew about had become public. The leak was found and plugged, but that didn't undo the damage done.

Apparently, the president had cooperated with some pharmaceutical company to create a vaccine against the Las Plagas. With Ashley's kidnapping – which was very convenient at the time but not planned at all – they could send an SRT unit to Spain, also for retrieval of Ashley. In the same time, they would risk the possibility of being exposed to the parasite. If at least one of them was exposed and survived, he or she would have the perfect inoculation available.

Leon was immune – from the start. The chief of the pharmaceutical company knew that from test reports. Everyone on the SRT had had to undergo a series of physical and mental tests before they were send onto whatever mission they had to fulfil.

Now Thomas had to cover up every little thing the Senate, the press and every other governmental official would trip over in order to make the White House fall.

How could he do that? Was it even possible?

Listening to the Opposition of the Senate, he tried to come up with some cover-up story. The _"worried father protecting his darling baby"_story could do, were it not that the opposition and the press would change that immediately to: _"every worried father may kill his son-in-law and put the baby up for adoption."_

This was spiralling out of control. The president should have consulted him before taking these ridiculous actions.

By now, Leon was the _"loving father stripped from his daughter and lady love"_ – did he even know how to change diapers?

With Ashley as the_ "poor fairy tale princess locked up in the White House by an evil father"_ – how the heck did she survive in Spain?

Leaving Lily as_ "unwanted baby numero uno._ _"_The kiddo had almost the same heroic status as her father.

Several child protection organisations and feminist organisations were already protesting in front of the White House, along with dozens of volunteers, some group calling themselves "hidden fathers" and _"people who sought their fifteen minutes (read: seconds) of fame on National TV."_

With a sigh, he decided that whatever cover-up story he could think of, it wouldn't be believable. Ever. The people wanted a happy ending. They wanted some sort of Romeo and Juliet, because that's what they became at the moment.

It would be a patch on the wound if this would end up in a wedding, with the president giving his daughter away to "_Mr. (Un)wanted_" (as he was baptized by now) yet it would not undo the damage done.

A public apology to the little family would also be a patch upon that same wound. Not enough. Travelling back through time would be a lot better, stopping the man from doing crazy stuff and whatever he had planned to do.

At least Ashley had made her public appearance with her daughter, on the Fourth of July. A small one, but it made up for some of the damage done. Leon, on the other hand, the so-called _Romeo_, was still at a military base, in uncertainty whether or not he would be send back to Spain.

One thing was definitely sure: if the public didn't get what it wanted, a political hell would be unleashed. The press and the opposition already loved this story to death, grabbing every opportunity to get rid of the president.

Some even spoke of a mentally unstable man unable to rule a nation if he failed in ruling his family. Some called for his resignation and early elections. Others wanted him to stay and arrange some fairytale marriage for this modern-day Romeo and Juliet.

It would be best to give the public what it wanted: the fairytale marriage for starters and at least a public apology from the President himself. Perhaps it was better to step down and let someone with more brains do that task.

---

His cell phone buzzed.

'Anything yet?' the president text-messaged.

'Nothing at all. You've declined every good option available.'

'Shall I give in?'

'If you wish to keep your place here at the White House.'

For ten minutes it remained silent. Then the cell phone buzzed again. 'I give up. Tell me what to do.'

He send several messages back:

'Public apologies.' _To win the trust of the public again and silence the opposition and press._

'Fairytale marriage.' _To prevent a repeat of Romeo and Juliet and to please the Republicans. Also to please the donators._

'Free day for the nation at said day of marriage.' _So the public can attend the marriage._

'House for the family wherever they want.' _So they can raise their daughter in peace._

'Lily baptized.' _To keep the religious donators happy._

'Mr. Kennedy put up for decoration and rank of Colonel.'_ So you can send him to Spain after all. (The public wouldn't like that, but by then, they would have forgotten about the incidents.)_

---

It was the perfect romantic crap the public and press had expected: dozens of TV stations had parked their vans in front of the main gate of the military base. Every cameraman and reporter tried to get in front of everything, to report the perfect story.

Royally late, the presidential car, escorted by several MPs, stopped in front of the main gate.

The secretary of state, president and daughter with baby daughter of an American Hero stepped out of the black vehicle.

Lights of cameras flashed, live videos were made and send nationwide, as "Juliet" made her way to the main entrance.

Reports of her simple style of dressing_ (not suited for a mom, but good enough for "Romeo" to find her),_ her hairstyle _(someone was apparently interested in her coupe de sol)_, her ordeals _(picturing Leon as a knight in shining armour similar to Bouquet stories)_ and so on…

Leon felt as if he could sink through the Earth and end up in China. It would be for the best, for he hated this kind of attention; it made him feel exposed and fragile. Being exposed wasn't good for an SRT. It meant being jumped by foes within seconds. This enemy was the presidential dad and the press munching on this story.

'Just relax and enjoy the ride…' Max had said as Leon dressed up in the same outfit he had worn when he went to Spain for the retrieval of Ashley. He stood in front of the main gate, behind the barrier, on the military side of the road. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he wished for this to be over. For over three darn long months he hadn't seen his girls. Only a few times on TV, and a live appearance at the Fourth of July. He wondered how they were, if Lily would recognize him or not, if Ashley still really wanted him.

---

_Feelings weren't his strongest point. Emotions weren't either. He understood his foes, how they acted and how to beat 'm. He could take 'm all down, given the right equipment. _

'_This time, you need to smile and smile alone. That's the best weapon available.' Max had informed him, 'just be yourself.' _

'_Being myself means that I take a gun and kill 'm all like a bunch of Ganado.' _

'_Unfortunately if you do that, you will never hold Ashley and Lily again.' _

'_True.' _

'_Go on. Be dressed in your finest and make a helluva appearance there.' _

'_That means sinking through the Earth, ending in China.' _

'_Haha, very funny. Go out there, before I tell the press what kind of scary chicken you are.' _

'_I most certainly am not a scary chicken!' _

'_Why did you blink twice if you're not?' _

'_Eh…'_

'_Go!' _

---

She wanted to say a lot of things. Like I'm sorry that I didn't visit you, and I'm sorry that you had to go through all this stuff.

She wanted him to see Lily, their baby girl. That she was a good girl, getting bigger by the day. She hoped that Lily would recognize him.

Every thought, every doubt, everything was washed away as he embraced her. He hadn't changed a bit.

Still that "Leon"-scent, his arms around her making her feel small and fragile, his voice whispering sweet little nothings. Those blue eyes she looked at were still the same. That unruly dirty blond hair that still hung half in his face. That mischievous grin he displayed as he whispered what he would do to her…

The press almost melted away – literally – as he held his girls close. Ashley knew when he was genuine in his actions towards the two of 'm: he got all soft and squishy.

---

Days later…

'You still have that?' Ashley mused as she held the newspapers of the day of their reunion up. Photos of a Special Operations Officer cuddling the First Baby – as Lily was baptized by the press – and that same officer cuddling his fiancée – this reunion was also their engagement and his announced decorations, as he had learned – were front page news of every newspaper and tabloid available.

He hated the romantic crap.

He loved holding his fiancée and baby daughter.

(And secretly Max too…for who else had this big evil smirk on his face and shook hands with Senator Blake afterwards?)

'Aren't we supposed to find a dress for you?'

'You're not allowed to see that!' Romantic crap.

'Really? Well… I could send Max in for some spying… I am, after all, a Colonel now.'

'And I am the First Daughter, and First Mother of the First Granddaughter. If I order you not to, what would you do?' she teased back, enjoying the simple fact that she was with him.

'Hmm… I'd send him in, hide the official reports from you and blame the reporters for displaying pictures of your bridal gown all over the news,' he decided.

'Leon… you're pure evil…'

'I know.'

---

_Fifteen years later__…_

'So… let's have a little man to man talk.'

'Yes, sir.' The young man in a tuxedo sat down.

_Man? He isn't a man at all,_ Leon mused. _Just a boy who recently learned to drive a car, got facial hair and had his first wet dream._

'Who's your mother, who's your father? What do they do for a living? Do you have siblings? You do sports? What do you do for a living? What is your birthday and your sign?' and dozens of other questions were rapidly fired at the poor boy.

'I picked flowers. My birthday is Septober the 40th and I'm a Taurus.' The kid swallowed and answered some of the questions he remembered as rapidly as he could, whilst cold sweat formed on his brow.

'Daaaa-haaaaaaaad!' A fifteen year-old girl with unruly dirty blonde hair and ember eyes threw her arms around her father's neck, with a terrifying grip. 'Leave Terry alone! He's my boyfriend! Not some rapist.'

'That's exactly why! He might hurt you!' Unleashing himself from her death grip he held her close and kissed her hair, getting a sigh from her. She was all dressed up in a lavender prom dress with matching flowers on the wrist.

'Hmpf… you might as well place a shotgun to his temple, if you wish to threaten him,' she mumbled against his chest.

'Leon...' sounded from the kitchen. Ashley walked towards the living room with a tray filled with long drink glasses and orange juice and cakes, seeing Leon almost crushing his baby girl to his chest.

'Hey! I have to know what kind of scum places a hand on my daughter's arm!' Said scum nearly wet his pants.

'If he's indecent, she'll kick his butt, no doubt. Just who was it who taught her karate, jiujitsu and aikido before she could walk? She kicked your butt lately.'

'Ehm…*cough*'

'You're just being worried. Let the two go out and have fun together.'

'I know… I just don't want my little girl unhappy.'

'She's fifteen. She's definitely not your little girl anymore.'

'I still remember the day she said her first word. When she took her first steps. The first time she went down the slide!'

'Getting soft, General?'

'Soft? Me? Hah! Never! I'm a man!' He puffed his chest to underline that statement.

'Yes… that's why …' Ashley snickered, fluttering her lashes a little.

'Wait? What do you know that I don't?' In fifteen long years, he never came to understand women completely.

'Secret of the State,' she bluffed with a husky voice.

'I know them all.' He had a feeling where this would end, but it was way too much fun to give into it.

'Lily…' A five-year younger boy tugged the seam of her dress. 'Are they up to it again? Using the mattress as a trampoline?'

'Yep… Tim, you'd better get to your room before they use the couch as a trampoline,' she whispered back. Her baby brother left for his room, muttering that he wanted to use his bed as a trampoline too.

'All?' Ashley continued.

'Must I really torture you to get all your secrets out, Mrs. Kennedy?'

'Hmm… That would be delightful… General.'

Lily rolled her eyes as the two crashed onto said couch, the children and scum forgotten. It was Ashley's way of "distracting" the General.

After smuttiness he was as soft as butter, giving in into everything his family wanted.

'Get a room, you two.'

---

Owari

final A/N:

for those who noticed: the plotbunnies appeared in chapter 2, 3, 1, 4 and 5, followed by a prequel and a sequel (still under construction) so that's for the awkward upload and the name changing of the story...


	6. Explanatory stuff

For anyone who thougth: Hey... I've read that all before! There are five additional stories from the same writer! I should let her know that!

Sorry for bursting that bubble...

Yes...

You are right.

The plotbunnies appeared in such an odd order, I thought: let's put 'm here seperated, and together.

And I forgot disclaimers. Hereby I state that RE4 belongs to capcom and not moi. If so, I'd be a very rich student.


End file.
